


better standard than mediocre

by sandpapersnowman



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Boss/Employee Relationship, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Post-Season/Series 03, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Season/Series 04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 13:27:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28707390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandpapersnowman/pseuds/sandpapersnowman
Summary: "Oh, before you go," Peter says, standing from his chair and pulling something from a desk drawer. "I wanted to ask you something."
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Peter Lukas
Comments: 3
Kudos: 21





	better standard than mediocre

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mobius-loop (igy)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/igy/gifts).



> title from Phoenix's [Drakkar Noir](https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/phoenix/drakkarnoir.html)
> 
> wrote this probably two years ago and just never edited it to post!! I have Multiple other little ficlets of this vague Peter marries Martin into Lonely bs au that I'll post soon ish too but uh! this is how he 'proposed' lmfao

"Oh, before you go," Peter says, standing from his chair and pulling something from a desk drawer. "I wanted to ask you something."

Martin stops walking to the door.

"Sure. What's up?"

Peter holds up a small box, about the size of his palm.

"Would you be interested in marrying me?" he asks. Conversationally, like he's only asking if Martin wants to go to lunch to the same place later.

"...What?" Martin finally asks, after a very, _very_ long pause.

Peter gestures with the small box in his hand and Martin realizes it must be an engagement ring. Or... It looks a little too big to be a single engagement ring. Two? One for each of them? Jesus Christ. 

"Would you marry me?" he asks again. "I think it'd be beneficial to both of us." Peter cracks a smile. "It'd make us a lot less suspicious leaving the country together as often as we do."

"Are you —" _sure_ , Martin starts to ask, but catches himself. 'Are you sure?' sounds like it's something Martin would like, would _want_ , when it's just... Out of the blue. "Are you serious?"

Peter hums a cheery affirmative, finally cracking the box open. Sure enough, sitting in soft-looking velvet, there's two rings; one has a plainer, solid band, thick, and the surface is flat except for the divot in the middle where a wide, flat yellow gem sits. He assumes that one would be for Peter, simple and unassuming.

The other is... Incredible. It looks like the same material as the other band, but this one has intricate engravings that twist and dance along the surface like lace. There's a matching gem in this one, and even though they're — Martin is _pretty_ sure it's the same kind of gem, whatever it is — even though they're the same, the one in his band seems to shine like the sun with the engravings accenting around it.

Martin breathes out a shaky sigh. They're beautiful, and even if Peter isn't someone he'd see himself marrying, he has the briefest thought that he'd do it just to wear that ring. Feel all the care and consideration someone put into an engagement ring for _him_ every time he looks at it, even if it _is_ from Peter. 

"Aren't they nice?" Peter asks, breaking the embarrassing silence that's settled while Martin is gawking. "White titanium and two-and-a-half carat canary diamonds," he says. "I didn't want it to be _too_ flashy, since I wasn't sure exactly what you'd like. We could always choose a different pair, as well." 

Martin swallows nervously. 

"I'm not — hang on," he says quickly. "I — Peter, really, wouldn't that be...? _Unprofessional,_ or something?"

"Mm, maybe," Peter laughs, "but the Archives are already an odd place to work, aren't they? What's a little unorthodox marriage in the mix?" 

Okay, that's fair, but... 

"I don't know if I'd be comfortable marrying someone out of _convenience_ ," Martin laughs nervously. "I always thought it'd be... Y'know. For real."

Somehow it sounds stupid to say it out loud, but Peter nods. 

"Of course," he agrees. "If you were to find someone else, we could have a very amicable divorce," he jokes. "In the meantime you'd enjoy all the benefits of being a Lukas, though."

Martin laughs sharply at that. He's never heard good things about any Lukas. The money would have been nice before, when he was still trying to take care of his mother, but now he's financially stable enough that it doesn't seem like enough of a reason.

"I'll... I'll think about it," Martin lies. "I'm not sure right now."

Peter shuts the box with the rings and places it gently back onto his desk. 

"Certainly, take your time," Peter grins. "Just give me a call if you'd like to take the offer."

Once Martin is safely back in his own office, he laughs in disbelief at how _weird_ his life has become.

Of course he wouldn't _marry his boss_.

Not that Peter isn't, y'know, _attractive_. He's _very_ attractive and it's a little bit of a problem, especially when he sees Peter more than anyone else anymore, but Martin is trying not to think about that.

And of _course_ it'd have serious financial and legal benefits, but it's...

Ugh. The worst thing is that he can't actually come up with that many negatives.

He'd prefer marrying someone he's in love with, who loves him back, but he's too entwined with the Institute to start dating someone now. Once upon a time, he would have imagined _Jon_ being the one he eventually settled down with, but Jon is in a coma 'or something' and Martin doesn't see _himself_ making it out of the Institute alive, either.

He'd be that much closer to embracing the Lonely, but he's low on options anyway.

Traveling with him would be easier. The name change, assuming he'd become _Martin Lukas_ , might throw off the other avatars hunting him for a bit.

Wearing the ring would be nice. Or, correction — other people seeing him wearing the ring would be nice. Undeniable proof that Martin has ever in his life been wanted, even been wanted enough for someone to want him _forever_. It's not a healthy thought, but.

Eh.

He refuses to consider it again until he's done with his work day.

When he goes home to his quiet, loathsome flat, takes a lukewarm shower in his tiny, cramped bathroom, and flops down on his shitty single bed, he finally lets his mind wander.

If they're supposed to be married, will they live together? Will there be a _marriage_ , then? A ceremony in suits where Peter kisses him in front of an audience?

Would there be a honeymoon?

Martin's heart flutters.

Peter is attractive. Martin's had more than one daydream go awry and turn into Peter kissing him over their shared lunch at work, and tempting him to go further, but it's never been more than Martin being too sad to fantasize about Jon and the disgusting, needy demon in his head fixated on the next closest man in his life.

Martin's never heard of Peter having a significant other of any gender, and it's not like Martin's _asked_ , but he doesn't... _Seem_ straight. It could be a possibility.

He could agree. He could stroll into Peter's office tomorrow, sit himself up on his desk, and tell Peter to ask him again.

Peter would cock his head like he doesn't know what Martin means, turn in his chair to get nearly between Martin's knees, and smile up at him.

_Ask what?_ Peter would say, even as he creeps a hand over Martin's thigh and squeezes _so_ softly.

_Ask me to marry you,_ Martin would say, emboldened for fantasy's sake and high on the thought that Peter _wants_ him. _I've thought about it. Ask me again._

He shakes the thought out of his head. No. _No_ , he's not going there.

Tomorrow, he'll go to work and act like Peter never said anything. And if Peter brings it up, Martin will politely decline. He will.

He _will_.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm also [sandpapersnowman](https://www.sandpapersnowman.tumblr.com) on tumblr and lyric#8582 on discord! hmu!!


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